Detachable top lift for lady&#39;s heel with bayonet lock



J. A. BOLDT DETACHABLE TOP LIFTFOR LADYS HEEL WITH BAYONET LOCK Nov. 17, 1959 Filed July 1. 1959 Juan A. Bold! v INVENTOR.

United States Patent DETACHABLE TOP LIFT FOR LADYS HEEL WITH BAYONET LOCK Juan A. Boldt, Bue'nos Aires, Argentina' Application July 1, 1959, Serial No. 824,290

7 Claims. (Cl. 36-42) The present invention generally relates to a heel construction and more particularly to a heel construction for ladies or women in which the top lift is easily dc tachable from the heel thereby facilitating the replace-' type'sof fasteners not requiring a nail, tack or the like but these devices have certain disadvantages such as working loose and otherwise being rendered ineffective. Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a detachable top lift for ladies heels in whichthe top of lift is positively locked in position and is held in position by. a modified bayonet type of lock arrangement.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a detachable top lift employing a modified bayonet slot-type of locking mechanism in which the lock mechanism is positively prevented from becoming accidentally unlocked unless it is desired to remove the top lift in which event the lock mechanism may be easily unlocked.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a detachable top lift which is simple in construction, easy to attach, positive in attachment, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the detachable top lift assembly of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 but illustrating the top lift in unlocked position with the top lift being partially removed;

Figure 3 is an exploded group perspective view of the components of the invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the present invention illustrating the device attached to a ladys heel; and

Figure 5 is a transverse, plan sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 5--5 of Figure 4 illustrating the details of construction of this portion of the invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the top lift assembly of the present invention which is received within a vertical passageway 12 disposed in a ladys heel 14. The passageway 12 is provided with an axial extension 16 at the inner end thereof.

The top lift assembly of the present invention includes a generally elongated cylindrical sleeve or barice . rel 18 having an axial extension 20 on the inner end thereof of reduced cross-sectional area with the extension 20 having a pointed end 22 for insertion into the extension bore ,16 thus positioning the sleeve or barrel 18 within the socket 12. The sleeve or barrel 18 may; be held within the socket 12 and 16 in any suitable man-y nerand in the event the heel 14 is of plastic construc tion, of course the device will be molded into the heel."

The sleeve or barrel 18 is provided with a longitudi-v nally extending passageway or hollow interior 24 that has a compression coil spring 26 in the inner end thereof and which'coil spring engages the bottom of the bore 24 and the other end of the spring 26 engages a spring follower 28 which is of cylindrical construction and which is slidable within the bore 24 and which is limited in its sliding movement by a transverse pin 30 received within the longitudinally elongated oval-shaped slot 32:

wherebythe slot 32 will permit reciprocation or longitudinal movement of the spring follower 28.

Disposed in the lower end of the housing or sleeve is a vertical extension 34 formed integral with or unitarily with'the top lift 36. The top lift 36 and the member 34 is. provided with a vertical passage 38 for receiving the projecting pin 40 of a tool having afinger gripping ring 42 on the free end thereof. The pin 40 may be inserted into the bore or passageway 38 and brought into engagement with the inner end of the spring follower 28 which has a depending polygonal projection 44 depending from the lower end thereof which depending projection is received Within a notch 46 in the upper end of the cylinder member 34. Thus,

the pin- 40 may be used for forcing the projection 44 and the follower 28 upwardly for releasing the member 44 from the socket 46.

The cylindrical member 34 is also provided with a radially extending circumferential projection 38 at the upper end thereof for sliding engagement with the longitudinal slot 50 in the sleeve or barrel 18 and for rotational movement in the sleeve or barrel 18 whereby the projection 48 will be registered with and engaging the edges of a notch designated by the numeral 52. The slot 50 has sufficient arcuate length to receive the projection 48 and the notch 52 has suflicient depth. Thus, when the cylindrical member 34 is inserted into the barrel 18, the inner end of the follower 28 and more particularly the projection 44 will ride against the upper end of the member 34 since the notch 46 will be out of registry with the projection 44 when the projection 48 is received in the slot 50. When the projection 48 registers with the notch 52 and is rotated to the position illustrated in Figure l, the recess 46 then is aligned with the projection 44, and the projection 44 will drop into the recess 46 due to the force exerted by the compression spring. When this occurs, the device is locked in that the top lift cannot be rotated to move the projection 48 out of registry with the notch 52 and into registry with the slot 50. The only way the device can be released is by inserting the pin 40 into the passageway 36 and into engagement with the lower end of the projection 44 thus urging the member 28 upwardly so that the top lift may be rotated about the longitudinal axis and it is pointed out that the passageway 36 is substantially coincidental with the longitudinal axis of rotation.

In this form of the invention, the entire device except for the spring may be constructed of plastic or any other suitable material such as metal and the top lift member may of course be of any suitable material.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention Patented Nov. 17, 1959:-

9 to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a ladys heel, a top lift assembly comprising a generally cylindrical barrel received in the lower end of a heel, said barrel having an L-shaped slot therein, a top lift member having a cylindrical projection slidable in the barrel, a radial projection on the cylindrical projection of the top lift member for sliding and arcuate movement in the slot, and spring urged means within the cylindrical member for engaging the projection of the top lift member for preventing rotation thereof in a reverse direction after the lug on the projection on the top lift has engaged with the arcuate portion of the L-shaped slot.

2. A heel lift assembly comprising a barrel having an L-shaped slot therein, a top lift having a cylindrical member slidable in the barrel and a radial projecting lug for engagement with the slot, a longitudinally spring biased member disposed in the barrel, and means interconnecting the spring biased member and the projection on the top lift for preventing reverse rotation of the top lift after assembly.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said spring biased member includes a slidable follower within the barrel disposed inwardly of the projection on the top lift, said projection on the top lift having a recess therein, means for precluding rotation of the follower while permitting longitudinal sliding movement thereof, said last named means interconnecting the follower and the barrel, said follower having a depending lug thereon for engagement in the recess in the projection of the top lift thereby preventing rotation of the top lift as long as the depending lug on the follower is engaged with the recess.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said 4 top lift is provided with an elongated passageway for receiving a tool for engagement with the depending lug on the follower for elevating the follower above the upper end of the cylindrical extension thereby permitting rotation of the top lift member.

5. A heel construction comprising a heel having an inwardly extending passage in the lower end thereof, a cylindrical barrel disposed in the passage with the barrel opening downwardly, a coil spring disposed within the barrel, a follower slidably and non-rotatably disposed within the barrel and engaging the spring with the spring biasing the follower downwardly, said barrel including an elongated longitudinal slot therein with a circumferential slot communicating with the upper end of the longitudinal slot thereby defining a bayonet slot, a heel lift, a cylindrical projection on the heel lift for sliding reception in the barrel, said cylindrical projection having a radially extending lug thereon slidable in the longitudinal slot whereby the lug may be engaged with the circumferential slot by rotation of the top lift for locking the top lift to the barrel, and means carried by the follower for engaging the cylindrical projection for preventing rotation of the cylindrical projection and top lift in a reverse direction for registering the radial lug on the cylindrical projection with the longitudinal slot.

6. The structure as defined in claim 5 wherein said top lift and cylindrical projection is provided with a central passageway for providing access to the means on the follower engageable with the cylindrical projection for rendering the means ineffective.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said means on the follower includes a depending lug, said cylindrical projection having a recess for receiving the lug only when the top lift is rotated for positioning the radial lug on the cylindrical projection in the circumferential slot thereby retaining the elements assembled.

No references cited. 

